The Iron Hammer

by J. M. Briggs

  He wasn’t sure how much longer they’d be waiting for the Old Ones and Frea. His eyes moved to Brokkr who was sitting a short ways from him chewing on some smoked venison and didn’t seem to be very concerned about leaving too soon. Looking back at the boulder, Thor wondered if his hammer was really strong enough to take on an impact like that. He knew that it would help him summon lightning and that he could tap into the reserve of power woven into the metal, but he wasn’t sure of its limits.

  Thor licked his suddenly very dry lips. The sensible part of him cautioned against damaging the hammer while another part of him was whispering for him to try it. Thor stepped closer to the boulder and tested the weight of the hammer for a moment. Slamming the hammer down, Thor’s chest tightened with a frightened certainty that this was a mistake, that his hammer was about to shatter. He could already hear Morgana’s angry voice echoing through his head along with the sharp ring of the metal against the stone. But then the hammer shook and the rock cracked sending rock dust into the air. It fell apart into three large pieces, their ragged edges showing where they fit together.

  “Impressive!” Thor spun to find Brokkr standing behind him, rubbing his hands together gleefully as he inspected the boulder. “Crusher! Excellent! There’s the weapon’s name!”

  “Crusher,” Thor repeated carefully, looking down at his hammer with a thoughtful expression. “Mjǫllnir. It means grind, like grind stone.”

  “Suit yourself. Mjǫllnir is a bit fancy, but it has a certain flare to it I suppose.” He stepped closer to Thor and held out a hand. Thor hesitated a moment before he handed Mjǫllnir to Brokkr. He watched silently as Brokkr studied it, checking the weight, the balance and ran a long dark finger over the symbol. “A fine weapon.” Brokkr said, handing it back gently.

  “What’s going on?” Morgana’s voice called up the hill.

  “Lad was just testing the hammer!” Brokkr shouted down to Merlin and Morgana.

  Thor could see a slight scowl on Merlin’s face at the words, but whatever the elder mage had been thinking to shout in response was delayed by five figures stepping out of the trees. Thor grinned as he caught sight of a long golden braid over the shoulder of one of the figures. He glanced towards Brokkr who had a look of mild interest on his face and began moving down the hillside.

  Thor strained his ears to hear as Merlin and Morgana moved to greet Odin and his party. Looking into the trees, Thor wondered how soon Frea would arrive and how many she’d bring with her. His eyes shifted back to the Old Ones and he eyed the two unfamiliar figures. For a moment he lingered and realized with irritation that he was waiting for a signal from Merlin or Morgana. Marching forward, Thor pushed that realization to the side and told himself that it was ridiculous.

  Then he stopped as the shortest of the figures stepped away from the group and started up the path towards him. Sif smiled, her hood falling back as she looked towards him. Odin was already speaking with Merlin and Morgana with Baldr at his side. The other two figures were dressed in odd shimmering armor and waiting a few steps back.

  “Sif, it’s a pleasure to see you. I wasn’t expecting to see you today.”

  “Oh?” Sif asked with a tilt of her head. “Why might that be Thor? You knew we were all meeting up for the examination of the tunnels.” There was a note of challenge in her voice that made Thor feel uneasy and certain that he’d offended her somehow.

  “It’s just that-,” Thor stuttered, desperately trying to school his features. “I thought only warriors were coming.”

  “Warriors,” Sif repeated slowly, raising an eyebrow giving him what was apparently a universal look of acceptance that men were fools. “I’ll forgive you that as you’ve never seen me fight.”

  “Uh… what sort of magic do you have?” Thor asked, searching her hands and belt for a weapon and finding nothing. “I mean uh-”

  “I’m rather good with vegetation actually. I’m not as impressive as Merlin or Morgana or my brother, but I can help with this.” She shifted and Thor caught sight of a sword strapped to her belt which gave him a sense of unease.

  “Is it just the five of you?” Thor glanced towards Odin who was speaking with Merlin intently.

  “No of course not, but not everyone has control over their powers,” Sif admitted carefully, dropping her eyes and fidgeting. “While we’re born here we still don’t completely belong. Only a few of us have family connections, but we and others like us all try to be civil and work together.” Sif paused and blushed. “Oh you meant for today… yes Father felt that we were the best suited to help today.”

  “Oh,” Thor murmured. He was a bit unsure as to why she bothered with that whole explanation, but quickly focused on her red cheeks. “Are you blushing?”

  “No, of course not!” Thor couldn’t help it, his smile widened and Sif’s soft blush only deepened. “I’m not,” she insisted. “I’m a being of energy. I only have a physical form because I wish to.”

  Thor didn’t really understand what she was talking about. Merlin had tried to explain it that they were magic bound together by will, but with Sif’s soft blush reddening her cheeks and a few strands of her golden hair falling into her face it was difficult to focus.

  “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.” Thor watched her expression carefully. “You are a remarkable being.”

  “Remarkable being?”

  “I have a feeling that if I tried to say you were beautiful that you’d think me shallow,” Thor offered with a wider smile. “And to be fair that wouldn’t quite capture the essence of what makes you so… fascinating to me.”

  “Would you be talking with me like this if you weren’t the Iron Soul?” Sif asked with a teasing smile.

  “Probably not,” Thor admitted with a grin. He leaned against the rock face, hoping he didn’t look too silly. “But I am.”

  “And I’m a being of energy that originates from a very different world.”

  “You were born here.”

  “Ah, but my physiology isn’t human. I only look this way, it doesn’t mean that this is what I truly am.” Sif grinned at him, her green eyes sparkling. “And for a man who was stumbling over himself when I first arrived you are suddenly very confident.”

  “You smiled and blushed. Reassured me that I’m not a complete fool.”

  “You are a fool, Thor.” Sif expression turned sadder and she gestured between them. “This isn’t wise. You barely know me.”

  “I’d like to get to know you better. And what I do know about you is impressive. Beautiful, smart, powerful, and carries a sword.” For a moment neither said anything as Thor enjoyed the warmth of Sif’s smile.

  “Thor!” Merlin called out, drawing Thor’s attention away from Sif’s face. “Frea has arrived!”

  Thor turned back to Sif and offered her his hand. She blinked in surprise, but he could see her smile as she took his hand and he carefully led them down the path. A noise behind them made Thor turn sharply with his hand falling to his hammer. It was only Brokkr, trotting along behind them. He met Thor’s eyes with a small smirk on his features that made Thor feel a rush of embarrassment. He’d completely forgotten that Brokkr was there.

  “I’ve given my hammer a name,” Thor informed Sif as they approached the others in an attempt to distract himself from Brokkr’s knowing gaze. “Mjǫllnir.”

  “Mjǫllnir,” Sif repeated thoughtfully with a smile tugging at her lips. “I like it.”

  That statement pleased him far too much, but Thor fought back the smile. Morgana was watching them with a dark look in her green eyes while Merlin looked torn between amusement and worry. He was sure that would hear about this soon, but today they had a different priority.

  “Greetings, Frea,” Thor said with a nod to the Sídhe. All of them were armed and wearing cloaks with their hoods shading their eyes against the harsh light of the sun.

  “Thor,” Frea greeted. “Are we prepared?”

  He was a bit surprised that she was asking him, but Thor nodded as
his eyes swept over their group. They had three mages, five Old Ones, and five allied Sídhe. If they hadn’t been heading underground he might have been excited. He nodded sharply and led them to the cavern entrance. Merlin looked towards him with a pleased smile before green magic flared around his staff. Thor’s stomach turned as the magic seeped into the rocks and began shifting the earth out of their way, revealing the dark opening.

  Merlin headed in first with Frea at his side. Thor hung back to let them all enter ahead of him. The moment he stepped inside, the dark tunnels were already threatening to close in around him. Light from floating orbs of magic shimmered on a smooth water worn stone and he told himself to breathe. At least he could feel the open air behind him as they descended.

  Cold sweat rolled down his back and Thor barely held back a shudder. The back of his tunic was beginning to stick to his back and his chest was far too tight. Everyone was silent. A group of beings that didn’t know each other were together and depending on each other to make this mission a success. Thor dropped his right hand so it rested on Mjǫllnir. The slight hum of magic in it was reassuring as they turned another corner and followed a slick slope further into the ground. A ragged breath escaped Thor and he found himself fighting the urge to run back the way they’d come. For a moment he felt lightheaded and had to leverage a hand on the rock wall to stay upright.

  “Thor?” Sif put her hand on his arm. “Are you alright?”

  “I don’t like being underground,” Thor said weakly. “I fight with lightning remember? Under the sky is where I belong.”

  Sif’s hand on his arm made it easier to take another step forward. Yet his fingers tightened on his hammer like a lifeline. Like it could save him if the countless pounds of mountain above him collapsed. It was foolish, but couldn’t force himself to let go. Up ahead were faint glittering lights as they rounded another turn. Morgana’s light orb suddenly dimmed sending a rush of fear through Thor. Sif’s hand tightened on his arm and he thought he heard her make a soft soothing noise that sounded like how his mother had calmed him as a child.

  There was enough light for him to see the passage opening wide. The stone above his head vanished and Thor could feel more open air around him. Sif’s hand fell from his arm leaving a sting of cold in its absence, but he understood as they slowed and carefully moved towards the Dark Elf stronghold.

  The small city had changed since the last time they’d been down here. Thor’s eyes widened as he took in the small buildings that had been carved into the side of the mountain. It was rough work, but strong and far more organized than he’d wanted the Dark Elves to be. Small flames were burning in stone bowls scattered near the path and cast enough light to reveal there weren’t any Dark Elves present. For a moment Thor allowed himself to hope that they were all dead. That they’d died when the tunnel collapsed of starvation or suffocation. But then he realized that someone was still here and alive to light the flames.

  The group began to spread out though Thor stayed near Sif and smiled when Brokkr came with them. Everyone remained in sight, but risked small glances into the structures. Yet there were no Dark Elves to be seen. Thor shifted protectively towards Sif, hoping she wouldn’t notice. She did and snorted lightly.

  “My kin must be near,” Brokkr whispered gruffly.

  “How can you be sure?”

  “Listen,” Brokkr ordered, holding up a hand. “I can hear them.”

  Thor strained his ears, but at first he only heard their breathing and the occasional drip of water. Then he caught the soft strain of a song. It wasn’t coming from the small city, but past it in another cavern. They followed the sound to a staircase down carved into the stone that was already showing signs of wear from use.

  The lower cavern was smaller or at least appeared to be so. Piles of rock surrounded them, filling in large holes between the stalactites and stalagmites. Thor struggled to keep moving, driven forward by his fear of being left in the dark underground alone. There was a long tunnel leading deeper into the mountain, but the walls were lined with tool marks and there was a strange shimmer on the stone.

  Thor could hear the song of the Dvergr more clearly now, but there was a mournful tone to it as it mixed with the ring of metal against stone. The sound of the singing and the working of the stone suddenly stopped, leaving them all in darkness and silence. Suddenly the smooth stone walls of the circular tunnel began to glow violet. Frea moved forward first with her two men trailing after her. The light was enough that they could now see the Dark Elves who were lined up with their hands pressed against the wall. None of them seemed to notice they were being watched.

  The Dvergr were seated in the center of the tunnel, tools discarded to the side with their heads bowed low. Next to him Brokkr made a sound of relief and anger, but thankfully didn’t storm forward. The glow in the tunnel grew brighter, and Thor’s stomach shifted uneasily when he noted it was originating from the hands of the Dark Elves. Across the surface of the stone the violet light formed strange bands of different shades of purple. His skin tingled uncomfortably and he shuddered as the desire to run was replaced with a frantic need to make this stop.

  Thankfully Morgana and Frea seemed to have decided they were finally close enough. They knelt down behind a pile of rock near the tunnel mouth. Kneeling down next to Frea, Thor looked over at the Síd. Frea’s face was impossibly paler and her violet eyes were wide with fear.

  “Frea?” Morgana turned to Frea with dark angry eyes. “Are they doing what I think they’re doing?”

  “They can’t be!” Frea twisted to peer over the rocks. “They can’t reconnect to Sídhean!” There was a long paused and nobody moved. “Can they?”

  “I… I’m not sure,” Merlin answered slowly. “I did not believe they had any magic, but we know too little about them.”

  The violet magic rolling over the walls of the tunnel began to fade to darkness. Still no one moved and he risked a glance at Morgana before the last of the light vanished. She looked uneasy, but opened her palm to conjure another orb of light.

  “Perhaps this is a good thing,” Morgana suggested with a spark of glee in her eyes. “If the Dark Elves march to war against Sídhean then we’ll be rid of them and the Sídhe will suffer some damage.”

  “Morgana, we don’t know what they are doing,” Merlin reminded her in a tightly controlled voice. “They may be planning to kidnap and corrupt more Sídhe to expand their numbers.” Merlin gestured into the tunnel. “This, all of this is unnatural. This is not what was intended by Arto’s magic and we need to focus on keeping this realm safe from more… unpleasant events.”

  “Merlin is correct.” Odin’s good eye glowed with a tiny spark of magic. “Should they manage to break through from our world into the Sídhe there is no telling what the result would be.” He looked pointedly to Morgana. “After all, they would be breaking through your brother’s protective magic as well and who knows what that would cause going into Sídhean.”

  “It might destroy them.”

  “Or make them more powerful,” Odin retorted with a frown. “And if it did what you hope then a world would die. I fear what the ramifications from that would be for the Tree of Reality.” Odin’s words made Morgana fall silent and she cast her eyes down.

  “What do we do?” Thor asked, uncertainty churning in his gut. “They have some kind of magic?”

  “Weak magic.” Sif raised her chin and looked over the rock piles. “Not much alone, but they’re combining it. This tunnel is some sort of… focus for them.”

  “I’m not sure we can defeat them all,” Merlin said. “There are dozens of them and with the rock…” he trailed off and looked meaningfully up at the ceiling while Thor barely kept his breakfast down.

  “We need to help my people,” Brokkr huffed, looking at them with dark stubborn eyes.

  “Brokkr-” Odin protested, but Brokkr spun away from the rocks.

  Rushing towards the Dark Elves, Brokkr raised his axe and gave a war cry. It did the tri
ck; the Dark Elves turned their attention away from the walls. An unfamiliar curse escaped Merlin, but he stood up with Morgana only a second behind him. Thor almost sighed in relief. This wasn’t good, but it was better than sitting in the dark worrying about the roof falling in. He pulled his hammer free of his belt and pulled on his magic, letting it flow through his arms and into Mjǫllnir.

  Snarls echoed into the cavern as Dark Elves drew their weapons and rushed towards them. Around them, Thor could see the Dvergr beginning to move. He hoped they’d take the chance to run. The Dark Elves met them half way through the cavern and Thor stopped as one narrowed its focus on him. Tightening his grip on his hammer, Thor brought it up and watched the creature begin to circle him. It lunged for him and Thor swung Mjǫllnir. He grunted as it impacted with the Dark Elf’s chest and lightning arched off the smooth metal and into its body. The Dark Elf was sent hurtling back against the wall and struck with a thunderous crack. A pained shriek escaped it as the body began to dissolve into dark dust.